FORTRESS AMERICA - 2006

Organized crime gangs now rule across our borders at Nueva Laredo,
Juarez, Tijuana and any significant oasis of civilization in
between. Bodies are regularly being unearthed along the length of
the border, daylight shootings are common, and it was reported
earlier this year that a drug gang's "military styled vehicles" have
been driven across the border into U.S. territory.

A January editorial in the San Antonio Express-News comments on a
video reportedly produced by Mexican Federal drug agents. In it are
four young men who had apparently been beaten and tortured. A gloved
hand appeared, placed a revolver to the head of one of them and
fired. The point of the editorial is summed up: "While U.S. officials
argue about the evils of undocumented workers, the real threat to
national security is the carnage caused by the drug wars. When will
both countries wise up?"

Increasing numbers of news reports over the past year tell us that
"hundreds" have been killed in recent months by the Zetas gang,
headed by the reputed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. These
slaying have occurred on both sides of the border and are frequently
intended to secure a monopoly on drug smuggling. U.S. Ambassador to
Mexico Tony Garza has been quoted as saying "drug cartels ....are
destroying the economic and social fabric of our communities." The
continuing violence led him to shutting down a consulate for a week
following another, particularly violent outburst.

Where are the cops, one might ask. An example from Nuevo Laredo is in
order. In June 2005 the Mexican government suspended the entire 750
officer force, replacing it with the army. Prompting this move was
the murder of the new police chief six hours after he took office,
adding to the dozen police officer deaths during the year and the
departments reputation for aiding drug smugglers and routinely
accepting bribes. In an effort to restore public confidence, the
entire force was required to submit to polygraph exams and drug testing.

Yet, for the most part, the casual stateside observer might think
that the major issue on our southern border is the influx of illegal
immigrants, our inability to curb this flow and the presumed adverse
influence on the labor market. Obviously this is a safer,
politically, than the volatile, violent and highly dynamic drug
problem whether here or along the border. Our elected officials can
find safe ground from which to allocate funds for walls, threaten
sanctions against employers who hire illegal immigrants, and promise
hundreds of additional Border Patrol Agents. Posed against such a
backdrop of responses, the imagery of Nero playing on his fiddle
while Rome burns behind him is hard to avoid.

The world is in terrible shape, many Americans say, with all these
corrupted outsiders threatening our pristine landscape. Perhaps a
little wake up call is in order. Who, pray tell, is paying for these
drugs that penetrate our borders? Perhaps the largest segment of our
population that chooses to support the drug merchants are our 18 to
35 year olds, the age group most frequently arrested for drug use.
This includes those who may not be encumbered with children and a
mortgage and thereby have significant discretionary income. They are
also the segment of our population susceptible to the negative
influences of the seamy side of the entertainment world and their
flirtation with drugs.

There is no simple answer to this complex and disagreeable social
problem which has been developing for nearly a century other than to
look to another social experiment that had similar negative results -
the Prohibition Act of 1929. Recognizing its failure, Law Enforcement
Against Prohibition (LEAP) formed in 2002. This international
education organization comprised of former law enforcement,
corrections and judicial officers with long experience working the
front lines of the so-called "War on Drugs" advocates the
legalization of drugs combined with a comprehensive system of
regulation such as is now done with alcoholic beverages.

A perfect solution? Certainly not, but at least a mechanism that can
be adjusted and refined to reduce the prohibitive costs and social
damage that is now a consequence of our misguided efforts to "just
make drugs go away."